A server dishes up a slice of deep dish pizza at Lou Malnati's Pizza in Chicago. The chain will open its first Northwest Indiana location in Schererville Monday.
The legendary Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria will open its first, long-awaited Indiana location in Schererville Monday.
The Chicago deep dish pizza purveyor will start dishing out pies at 36 U.S. 41 in the former Gayety's ice cream parlor near the border of Schererville and Highland. It will be the chain's 58th location.
“My dad always preached to me the importance of hiring great people, offering the best service and product possible, and taking care of the community. We’re excited to continue to live out these values in Schererville,” said Marc Malnati, owner of Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria and son of Lou Malnati. “We take pride in the fact that we become ingrained in the communities we serve and we can offer a fresh, delicious and unmatched product at a value. We look forward to providing our famous Chicago-style deep dish pizza in Schererville for years to come.”
The restaurant employs 35 people and will offer delivery and carry-out, but no dine-in option.
Along with Giordano's, Gino's East, Pequod's and Uno's, Lou Malnati's is considered one of the premier Chicago-style deep dish pizzerias and is known for its butter crust. Other Schererville pizzerias that offer deep dish include Giordano's, Rosati's Pizza, Aurelio's Pizza and Giuseppe's Pizza.
Founded in Lincolnwood in 1971, Lou Malnati’s has been growing rapidly in recent years across Chicagoland and Arizona. Lou Malnati’s spokespeople said the company was interested in opening additional locations in Northwest Indiana in the future.
For more information, call 219-318-2500 or visit www.loumalnatis.com/schererville.
Can't wait 'til Monday? Here are 15 other Region spots to score premier pizza
Aurelio's Pizza
Locations: 12939 Wicker Avenue in Cedar Lake; 1900 N Main Street in Crown Point; 112 E. Ridge Road in Griffith; 4226 Calumet Avenue in Hammond; 2330 N. U.S. Highway 35 in LaPorte; 166 Deanna Drive in Lowell; 416 Ridge Road in Munster; 6500 U.S. Route 6 in Portage; 1412 Lincoln Hwy in Schererville; 265 Morthland Drive in Valparaiso; 10762 Randolph Street in Winfield
In a poll issued by The Times last year as part of its Dishes of the South Shore series, the restaurant took top honors as the best pizza in the Region. Pizza lovers clamor for the signature sweet sauce of Aurelio's, which has been around since the 1950s.
Today, there are 40 locations, stretching as far as Georgia, Minnesota, Florida and Las Vegas, Nev.
Beggars Pizza
Location: 1326 119th Street in Whiting
A Chicagoland favorite, Beggars came to Whiting just a few short years ago, bringing with it that classic downtown Chicago feel. This thin crust sausage and onion pizza is just one of the many options.
To read more about Beggars in Whiting, click here.
Dante's House of Pizza
Location: 1734 45th Ave., Munster
The pizza with shrimp is a unique favorite at House of Pizza, but really all you need to know are these two words: PIZZA BUFFET! To read more about Dante’s, click here
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Dino's Pizza
Location: 1601 121st St. in Whiting
Website: dinospizzawhiting.com
A Whiting fixture for going on six decades, this mom and pop shop still makes its own dough and sauce, and grinds its own cheese and pork sausage. The lunch buffet pizza station — available 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday — is one of the better deals in the Region.
Edwardo's Natural Pizza
Location: 7920 Calumet Avenue in Munster
If you're looking for classic Chicago deep dish, this is the spot. If such pies are a little too filling for your tastes, the thin crust and international options might be more your style.
Gelsosomo's Pizzeria
Locations: 5023 US Highway 6 in Portage; 371 Indian Boundary Road in Chesterton; 2605 Laporte Avenue in Valparaiso; 5184 S Franklin Street in Michigan City; 11321 S Broadway in Crown Point; 13019 Wicker Avenue in Cedar Lake; 1013 West Lincoln Hwy. in Schererville; 9318 Indianapolis Blvd. in Highland
A Region mainstay since its first location opened in 1979 in Portage, a local could throw an ingot and it will probably hit a Gelsosomo's. And that, my dear Regionites, is a good thing.
Giordano's
Location: 625 W. Lincoln Highway, Schererville
More info: 219-215-0333 or visit giordanos.com
Giuseppe's Restaurant
Location: 1000 Eagle Ridge Drive
For a different spin on the classic pie, try out one of the Neapolitan pizzas featured at Giuseppe's is the Margherita Con Bufala.
To read more about Giuseppe's, click here.
House of Pizza
Location: 7008 Indianapolis Blvd., Hammond
Website: houseofpizzaonline.com
This is where you get real Chicago pizza, not the deep-dish casserole they serve to tourists in the Loop. Party-cut or tavern-style pizza, where it’s sliced into squares, is the real thing. Many Region places serve it up, and the old school House of Pizza in Hammond is as good as any.
Langel's Pizzeria
Locations: 2833 Highway Ave., Highland; 1198 E. Summit St., Crown Point; 342 E. Highway 30, Schererville; 2120 U.S. Highway 41, Schererville.
A Region mainstay, it isn't too hard to find a Langel's somewhere nearby. The hard part is driving past without picking up a pie.
Rolling Stonebaker
Location: 54 Lafayette St., in Valparaiso. The Studebaker fire truck's regular daily location in a grassy lot on U.S. 12 in Beverly Shores.
The Purple Pig pictured above is one of the most popular pies the wood-fired pizza maker offers, but there are many more tasty originals available featuring fresh ingredients.
To read more about Rolling Stonebaker, click here.
Rosati's Pizza
Location: 5504 W Lincoln Highway in Schererville; 10755 Broadway in Crown Point; 1411 S Lake Park Ave. in Hobart.
Website: myrosatis.com
The only national chain on this list, the Chicago-based pizzeria has more than 200 locations across the country. The Schererville and Crown Point spots are among a select few that are actual pizza pubs that feature full-service, sit down restaurants. Oh, and the pizza is pretty good, too.
State Line Pizza
Locations: 9521 Indianapolis Blvd. in Highland; 183 Mattson at Hart St. Center in Dyer; 150 E. U.S. 30 at Oak Ridge Center in Schererville.
Website: statelinepizza.net
This family-owned Region chain has been around since 1957 and is so consistent that one of its delivery drivers (Vern O'Dell, pictured) brought pizzas to customers for 40-plus years.
The Original John's Pizzeria
Location: 247 Ridge Road in Munster
The pizzeria may have changed locations since originally opening in Calumet City in the 1940s, but the pizza remains the same. An old favorite is the sausage pizza, but that's for from the only pie worth sampling.
To read more about the pizzeria, click here.
Tomato Bar
Locations: 2310 Laporte Avenue in Valparaiso; 79 U.S. Highway 41 in Scererville
Known for its pizzas of the month, the Tomato Bar is a great place for those looking for something outside the pizza box.
To read more about the Tomato Bar, click here or here.
Joseph S. Pete
Business Reporter
Joseph S. Pete is a Lisagor Award-winning business reporter who covers steel, industry, unions, the ports, retail, banking and more. The Indiana University grad has been with The Times since 2013 and blogs about craft beer, culture and the military.
